NEW ORLEANS -- Cornerback Chris Culliver will work with The Trevor Project in the weeks after the Super Bowl to learn more about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth, according to his personal publicist.

Culliver made homophobic comments during Tuesday's media day in a podcast interview with comedian Artie Lange. In Culliver's subsequent apology, he said he would accept a gay teammate and pledged to learn from the biggest controversy during the 49ers' Super Bowl week.

Lange said he knew the magnitude of Culliver's words when he made them during the interview.

"When I asked the question I was just joking around, and then he wouldn't stop talking," Lange told USA Today Sports on Saturday. "I said to myself, 'I gotta play this tape, but he's a young kid and doesn't know any better.'

"Yeah, in today's world I knew it would get a big reaction. It seemed to get a little crazier than I thought.

"It ruined (Culliver's) week, and I don't feel good about that. But if that's how he really felt and this helped it get out there, maybe he'll change it."

Culliver said Wednesday that among those he conferred with after his anti-gay comments was a gay relative, who's been identified as his cousin Andrew Brown, a director of the documentary "Word Is Out" about gay and lesbian directors.

Carlos Rogers wasn't a left cornerback and Tarell Brown wasn't a right cornerback until the 49ers planted them in those roles in 2011, but they've started every game since then. "When you make changes, some guys' (careers) take off then," defensive backs coach Ed Donatell said. "We moved Carlos to left, and I've never seen a guy look more natural."

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Rogers couldn't crack the left-cornerback role in his previous six seasons with the Washington Redskins, who instead used Shawn Springs or DeAngelo Hall there.

Although he recalled Donatell calling him a natural left cornerback, Rogers said: "A lot of guys are one side. I don't see what the difference is. Once you backpedal and get your reads, it feels the same to me."

It doesn't feel the same to Brown, who had five career starts in his previous four seasons before the 49ers overhauled their coaching staff -- and secondary -- two years ago.

"It's just something I had to adjust to," Brown said. "The feet are different, you're seeing the ball different, and it's definitely an adjustment to make."

Tom Rathman has fond memories of the Superdome, both from his playing days and in his current role as the 49ers running backs coach. "I look at this place and it's like a home game to me," said Rathman, who played for the 49ers from 1986-93. "I've played so many games in this stadium. It's my favorite place to play. Great atmosphere, great environment, and no one does a greater job hosting a Super Bowl."

Rathman had two touchdown runs when the 49ers crushed the Denver Broncos 55-10 in Super Bowl XXIV at the Superdome 23 years ago.

His first touchdown, a 1-yard run, helped stake the 49ers to a 27-3 halftime lead.

"We were at ease in the locker room. All we had to do was finish," Rathman recalled. "It was easier than you would have thought for a Super Bowl. At the same time, we were a dynamic team with great players and a great quarterback."

On the eve the game, former 49ers receiving great Jerry Rice said he was almost as nervous about this team's championship opportunity as he was when he was playing.

"It's been 18 years since the 49ers have been back here, and the great thing is, it's a completely new set of guys with a different type of identity," Rice said. "Hopefully, they seize this moment. I'm excited for them."

Rice predicted that the 49ers will beat the Ravens 24-17. He believes quarterback Colin Kaepernick was the key to unlocking so many offensive threats.

"He brings so many formations you have to account for," Rice said. "I was watching Jon Gruden on the telestrator this morning, and what the 49ers do is crazy. You adjust to one thing and then there's something else. So if you're going to try to stop him with a defensive end, Frank Gore is going to hurt you, or LaMichael James. Then there's (Michael) Crabtree on the outside, and Vernon Davis. They have so many weapons."

The 49ers held a walk-through practice in sweatsuits and shorts early Saturday afternoon in the Superdome.

San Francisco Giants president Larry Baer is in town with his two sons and will attend Sunday's game. He's hoping the 49ers can pull it off but is far less nervous than he was in October when the Giants swept the Detroit Tigers to win their second World Series in three years.

"It's a city of champions aura," said Baer. "But it's a lot easier being on this end of it where you don't have to sweat it out. I was just talking to somebody about a possibly 49ers parade. We had a top secret code of silence -- and I think the 49ers do, too -- that you could never talk about it. But we stand ready to provide drivers for the parade."

Colin Kaepernick's 105.9 passer rating in the postseason is fifth-highest in NFL history (minimum 40 attempts). With 202 rushing yards, he is 7 shy of the playoff record for a quarterback, held by former Tennessee Titans' Steve McNair (1999).

Frank Gore's three rushing touchdowns are the most in these playoffs. Kaepernick has two, and the 49ers' total of seven is tied as the seventh-most in NFL postseason history.